Source: Jamie McCarthy / Getty
Less than two months after his controversial firing from CNN, it appears as if Don Lemon may be getting the last laugh… and possibly his old job back.
TMZ reports that there could be a chance for Don to return to the network following the announcement this week that June CNN CEO Chris Licht was being ousted from the media conglomerate.
Sources close to Don say that they would not be surprised if the network reaches out in the near future now that Licht is out of the way.
To get you up to speed, Licht was hired in May 2022, following CNN’s parent company WarnerMedia’s merger with Discovery. His plan was to make CNN more “middle-of-the-road” in coverage.
Viewers renounced this shift, which was considered to be skewed towards catering to the right-wing crowd.
Following last month’s truly disastrous town hall special with Donald Trump and a scathing profile by The Atlantic, CNN announced that Licht would no longer be CEO.
Long-Standing Tensions
Prior to this development, TMZ reports that Licht clashed with Lemon many times during his tenure. He apparently had a lot to say about how Lemon presented himself on air.
Ultimately, that led to Licht’s firing of Lemon this past April, which caught the longtime news anchor off guard.
“At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network,” Lemon said at the time. “It is clear that there are some larger issues at play.”
Apparently, the “larger issues at play” may have been Licht’s fight for his own job.
Don Lemon fired
Lemon was reportedly left “stunned” after he was fired in late April following his employment at CNN for nearly two decades.
“I was informed this morning by my agent that I have been terminated by CNN. I am stunned,” Lemon wrote.
He went on to say that CNN management did not have “the decency to tell me directly.”
Somewhat cryptically, Lemon added about CNN: “It is clear that there are some larger issues at play.”
CNN’s internal memo to employees announced the news slightly differently from how Lemon did.
“CNN and Don have parted ways,” the memo said, making it appear as though it was a mutual decision. “Don will forever be a part of the CNN family.”
While there was no reason provided for Lemon’s termination, it came after unverified reports that he harassed women co-workers.
The Future
Now that Licht is out at CNN, a team of execs will take over in the interim, including Amy Entelis, who is the network’s EVP for Talent and Content Development. She also happens to be one of Lemon’s close friends for nearly 15 years.
As of now, Lemon is taking the summer off from work, but he is allegedly entertaining all meetings and is open to all options…
Stay tuned.
SEE ALSO:
Op-Ed: CNN CEO Chris Licht Ousted After Appearing To Be A Mediocre White Man Failing Up
How Newsroom Cuts Leave Black Communities Even More Susceptible To Online Misinformation
Don Lemon Could Return To CNN Once Disgraced CEO Chris Licht Leaves, Reports Suggest was originally published on foxync.com
